I opened up my mail the other day, pleasantly surprised to receive the new offering from pianist Orli Shaham, entitled "Brahms Inspired". It's a 2-CD set featuring music by Brahms as well as compositions that inspired Brahms. Interspersed with the opp. 117, 118 and 119 are works by Bach, Chopin, Schubert and Schumann. The accompanying booklet delivers a solid rationale for including each of the pieces by those composers on the recording.

Also on the set are four works by composers who found inspiriation in the music of Brahms. The most interesting among the bunch is a set by Australian composer Brett Dean. Entitled "Hommage a Brahms", a set of three pieces designed to be played as interludes between the four pieces of the op. 119.

As you might expect, Orli turns in a masterful performance of all the pieces in the set.